


Art of War

by xalkyriie



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: Gen, Mild Gore, eli needs therapy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 19:07:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18900811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xalkyriie/pseuds/xalkyriie
Summary: The paintings weren't good at first, just whorls of whatever colors that Eli could get ahold of.





	Art of War

**Author's Note:**

  * For [graytho](https://archiveofourown.org/users/graytho/gifts).



> I wrote some artist liquid for the soul. I interrupted writing my otasune fic for this.

The paintings weren't good at first, just whorls of whatever colors that Eli could get ahold of. 

 

It was when he finally got some proper supplies that they started becoming something that could be considered art rather than a child's scribbles. 

 

It had started with images from the battlefield, grotesque imagery ranging from an infected bullet wound to the mangled corpse of a fallen soldier. But as the Eli grew the paintings did as well. The depictions went from scenes of war to become images of the only things he considered to be special in a war torn world. 

 

The first canvas he could get became a painting of the light reflecting off of a river full of fish, painstakingly done, each detail perfected. Canvas was a special thing, rare and cherished by him, each brush stroke careful and steady. 

 

Despite his love of painting Eli never took well to art therapy, he didn't want people to see his paintings, especially not the ones that brought him peace simply because nobody else had seen them. The paintings were no secret, but Eli only ever really shared them with Tretij. 

 

It wasn't uncommon for there to be times when Eli had nothing to paint on, but he was never deterred by this. He took to painting both his own skin as well as any surface that he didn't think would be noticed. 

 

Many of the walls on Mother Base had small paintings on parts of them. Few of the men knew who was drawing them, but the images did wonders for the morale of the men, and most attributed their appearance to Miller. 

A favorite of most of the soldiers was the small painting of several butterflies that was hidden beneath a flight of stairs. 

 

At first it bothered Miller when paints started showing up on the supply lists, but it was a small annoyance, and whenever he removed them they'd always return without fail. When newer supplies started appearing Eli was hesitant, he didn't want anyone's pity and certainly didn't need it. 

 

It wasn't until Ocelot pulled him aside and told him that he may as well use the right tools if he was going to do something. 

 

_‘Right tools for the job’_ Eli thinks, as he watches Snake input the PAL codes. He's been waiting for the opportunity to paint with his twin’s blood for all his life. 


End file.
